Fluorescent tube lighting fixture



March 10, 1953 R. M. GARTH FLUORESCENT TUBE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed April 23, 1949 INVENTOR GARTH ROBERT M.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE treatise harm Robert M; Gitfiiii Jacksonville, Flai, assigns to H. C. Biglin Company, Incorporated Application A551 a, 1945,- siiaI No; 89239 i Claiiiis.

This invention re ates generally to llght'ing' fix tures, and more particularly tolighting fixtures ihwhili the illuminant is or the fluorescent tube yiie... H. v

AnQbjecit of my.. inv n tion i tqprev dea flue resceiit tube lighting fixati e. he a eemmeteiy free and op Y, from abovj .1. f 1 me t army nv naqa ist'o' pr fluorescent tube lighting fixture (fibmpllslllg a rigid uriit withouthirig'e's or parts requiring removal or moving during relan'ipi'n'g of the fixture. An t er object or my invention is mprovide a fluorescent ,tiibe li'ghting fixture' in which the ballast ortransformers ,for, use therewith are housedwithin the side frame structure. is v Anothe'r object of my'inventiori is to provide a fluorescent tube lighting fixture in which side light and lare is eliminated.

Another objecto'f my invent'ori is" to provide a fluorescent tubelighi he fixturewhic'h is simple in construction, pleasing in design, inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation, 7

o Other and further objectsand advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings in wh'ich like mit ers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and w r Fig. 1 is a tfp pla'r'i vi'ew of a lighting fixture embodying my invention; n

Fig. 2' is a side view or the lighting fixture shown in Fig. Lwith supporting rods removed.

Fig". 3 is a bottom plan view of the lighting fixture shownin Fig l. H

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 inLFig. ,1. 7

Fig. 5 is an end View of the lighting fixture shown in Fig. l. 7 I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along-the line 6-6 in Fig. 1.

i In h emb d m nt thes s fars at onr th fightifie fixture i ismie dr b ctan ula frame having side members l0, l0 and end memr 114. 1.

e 2 r th e ran inem s. si w l f arid. an 9. 4129 sie ua togethei at the top and bottom so as to form a closed side chamber l4 within which are mounted the ballast or transformers I5. By placing the ballast in the sides of the fixture frame, the necessity for a box on the ceiling for enclosing the ballast is eliminated. The inner wall 7 of each side frame member presents a smooth, perpendicular surface facing the inner wall of the opposite side frame member.

Each of the end frame members II, II has an v.2 inner end wall 16 and an outer end wall i! joined together at the top and bottom so as to form a closed end chamber 58. The inner wall of. each end frame member presents a smooth, perpendicular surface facing the inner wall of the opposite end frame member. Tube holders l9; of well known construction, are secured to each inher end wall I6 so as to face the corresponding Home on the opposite end and the holders l9 are arranged so that the fluorescent tubes 20 can be slipped into the holders from the top of the fixture. The fixture according to my invention pre- "serits an nemy unobstructed top for relamping from above, There are no hinges and in parts to be moved orrmoved inorder to gain access to the tubes and starters my lighting fixture; Nopart of my fixture projects above any tube or starter therein. No part of my fixture within the rectangle defined by the inner side walls and inner end walls extends above the fluorescent tubes in my fixture.

Sockets 2| are mounted in each end chamber 18 for the reception of starters 22 for use with the fluorescent tubes 20, as is well known. The

.' starters 22 are placed in position in the sockets 2| iIiSft'lOh' thrdugh hol's 23 in the top Of the iidchainber 18. When in position in the sock: ets 21,; the starters project through the holes 23 and can be removed from the top of the fixture by simply withdrawingthin by hand, and no part of the fixture has to be moved or removed to accomplish the positioning 61 removal (if starter may fixture. I

Also mounted on each end frame member is a. supporting rod or tube 24, 24f by ineansof which the fixture supported from a ceiling or other overhead structure (not shown).- A switch 25, of customary construction, is mounted on the innerwall of one end fram e member in alp'o si- 2 191? t t te qtk s' 1, 5 a l t. 1. Q 9: siti uct the removal of any of the tubes from" the p. 9 ,t fii t spectively, are placed within the rectangular frame below the tubes 20, and they are spaced so as to form 2-inch square openings through which light from the tubes 28 passes downwardly 3 made in the structure shown without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fluorescent tube lighting fixture, a substantially rectangular frame having side frame members and end frame members, said side frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall arranged to form side chambers, said end frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall arranged to form end chambers, supports for said fixture secured to said end frame members, fluorescent tube holders mounted on said inner side walls of said end frame members and arranged for the relamping of said fixture from the top, fluorescent tubes mounted in said tube holders, starters for said tubes mounted on said end frame members, transformers for said tubes mounted in said side frame members, and longitudinal louvers and cross-frame louvers mounted in said rectangular frame beneath said fluorescent tubes to form openings through which light from said tubes passes downwardly from said fixture, each said inner side wall presenting an unobstructed surface, all parts of said fixture between said end frame members being confined between the planes containing the top and bottom respectively of said side frame members and arranged to provide an entirely clear open space above said tubes.

2. In a fluorescent tube lighting fixture, a substantially rectangular frame having side frame members and end frame members, said side frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall arranged to form side chambers, said end frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall arranged to form end chambers, supports for said fixture secured to said end frame members, fluorescent tube holders mounted on said inner side walls of said end frame members and arranged for the relamping of said fixture from the top, fluorescent tubes mounted in said tube holders, starters for said tubes mounted in the top of said end frame members, transformers for said tubes mounted in said side frame members, and longitudinal louvers and cross-frame louvers mounted in said rectangular frame beneath said fluorescent tubes to form openings through which light from said tubes passes downwardly from said fixture, each said inner side wall presenting an unobstructed surface, all parts of said fixture between said end frame members being confined between the planes containing the top and bottom respectively of said side frame members and arranged to provide an entirely clear open space above said tubes. 7

3. In a fluorescent tube lighting fixture, a substantially rectangular frame having side frame member and end frame members, said side frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side Wall arranged to form side chambers, said end frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall arranged mounted in said rectangular frame beneath said fluorescent tubes and spaced apart so as to form openings approximately two inches square through which light from said tubes passes downwardly from said fixture, each said inner" side wall presenting a smooth, unobstructed substantially perpendicular surface, all parts of said fixture between said end frame members being confined between the planes containing the top and bottom respectively of said side frame members and arranged to provide an entirely clear open space above said tubes.

4. In a fluorescent tube lighting fixture, a substantially rectangular frame having side frame members and end frame members, said side frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall arranged to form closed side chambers, said end frame members having an inner side wall and an outer side wall ar ranged to form closed end chambers, supports for said fixture secured to said end frame members, fluorescent tube holders mounted on said inner side walls of said end frame members and arranged for the relamping of said fixture from the top, a fluorescent tube mounted in each pair of said tube holders, starters for said tubes mounted in the top of said end frame members, transformers for said tubes mounted in said side frame members, and longitudinal louvers and cross-frame louvers mounted in said rectangular frame beneath said fluorescent tubes and spaced apart so as to form openings approximately two inches square through which light from said tubes passes downwardly from said fixture, each said inner side wall presenting a smooth, unobstructed substantially perpendicular surface, all parts of said fixture between said end frame members being confined between the planescontaining the top and bottom respectively-of said side frame members and arranged to provide an entirely clear open space above said tubes.

ROBERT M. GARTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Beck 2 Feb, 15,1944 

